Land, People, and Government

Mauritius is surrounded by coral reefs. A central plateau is ringed by mountains of volcanic origin, which rise to c.2,700 ft (820 m) in the southwest. The island has a tropical, rainy climate. Mauritius is divided into nine districts.

Over two thirds of the population are of Indian descent, and over 25% are creole (of mixed French and African background). There are also small Chinese and French communities. More than half the people are Hindu, about 30% are Christian (mainly Roman Catholic), and most of the remainder are Muslim. English is the official language, and a creole language is widely spoken; other languages include French, Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, and Bojpoori.

Mauritius is a parliamentary democracy governed under the constitution of 1968, as amended in 1992. The president, who is the chief of state, is elected by the national assemby for a five-year term. The prime minister, who is the head of government, is appointed by the president, as is the council of ministers. The unicameral legislature consists of a 70-seat national assembly; 68 members are elected and, and eight, representing ethnic minorities, are appointed by the president.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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